AZORES

AZORES Located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, about 930 miles and two hours flying from Lisbon. The Azores where discovered in 1431 by Goncalo Velho Cabral. The azores colonization started in 1432 with people from the mainland, North of Africa, Flanders and Spain. At that time there where no humans living in the Azores. This Autonomous Region has a total area of 910 square miles (2355 Km2). Their individual areas vary between S. Miguel′s 290 square miles (747 Km2) and Corvo′s 7 square miles (17 Km2). Its nine island has a moderate climate with mild annual temperature oscillation. The Azores are of volcanic origin, but only Santa Maria has signs of reef sediment. The volcanic
origin of all islands is revealed by their volcanic cones and craters. Pico, a volcano that stands 7725 feet (2,351 meters) high on the island of the same name has the highest altitude in the Azores. The official language is Portuguese. Ponta Delgada is the largest city with about 55,000 habitants. ″Nature in its original splendor″ is the perfect expression to describe the Azores. Each island has its own splendor. it′s an once in life time opportunity to live nine interesting experiences.

The Plane is the most common way to get to Azores. At a 2 hour distance from Lisbon there are regular flights to: Lajes (Terceira Island), Ponta Delgada (São Miguel Island) and Horta (Faial Island). There are also charter flights connecting several Northen European countries, the United States or Canada to Lajes (Terceira Island) and Ponta Delgada (São Miguel Island).

All along the year, flights across the archipelago′s islands are done by a regional operator SATA Air Açores. It is also possible to travel and visit the islands the using the regular maritime connections with the operators: Transmaçor or Expresso do Triângulo

Faial  »Map

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PLACES AND CLIMATE:

Shaped like an irregular pentagon, with an area of 173,42 km2, the island of Faial is 21 km long and its maximum width is 14 km. Dominated by the volcanic cone of Caldeira, which extends in soft slopes interrupted by secondary volcanic formations, the island has its highest point at Cabeço Gordo, with 1.043 m. It is localized between 38º and 33' latitude and north and 28º and 38' longitude west.

The climate is mild and soft, with weak thermal amplitudes, like in the rest of the islands. The highest temperatures are registered in August and the minimum in February. The medium temperatures per season are as follows: Spring 16º C (60º F), Summer 21ºC
(70º F), Fall 19º C (67º F) and Winter 14º C (58º F).

BRIEF ISLAND STORIES:

The first form o colonization of the Azores was when the caravelles of D. Henrique, the Navigator, let loose their cattle, which happened at Faial , around 1450, by Portuguese coming from other islands. A decade later stars the actual colonization of the island, which was accomplished both by Portuguese and Flemish.

In 1466, a noble Flemish named Josse Van Huertere, acompanied by some friends and country men, goes on an exploration trip, searching for tin and silver. It was said those two metals were abundant on this island. The first searches show the trip was a mistake and unsuccessful.

Enthusiastic never the less about its fertility, Josse Van Huertere doesn't give up. In 1468, with the help of the Duchess of Burgundy, Infanta D. Isabel, daughter of king D. João I, married to Filipe III , o Bom (The Good One), Duque Burgundy and Count of Flanders, he obtains the letter from the captain of the beneficiary of the island and the king's permission (D. Afonso V) to bring to Faial settlers anxious to leave Flanders, a poor land due to the 100 year war.

Upon his arrival, they settle at Lomba dos Frades, in Praia do Almoxarife, but quickly move to Vale dos Flamengos, which reminds us with its name the first colonizers, and then moved to Horta, attracted by the ocean and its natural bays.

It is the Flemish who introduces in Faial the growing of “pastel”, plant utilized in Europe by its strong blue color as dye which, together with the growth of wheat, becomes the economic support for the island for two centuries.

The annexation of Portugal by Spain (1580-1640) brings the war to Horta. First with the arrival of the occupation Spanish troops (1583) and, later on, with the attacks of the counts of Cumberland and Essex in 1589 and 1597, with the destruction of churches and houses, pillage, and the payments of heavy ransoms.

Two centuries of prosperity

The XVII century is of great prosperity, brought by the safety of the harbor, by the strategic position of the island in the navigation to Brazil and for the English control on Central and North America . The international commerce grows, and Horta becomes the port for the export of wine and “Aguardente”, produced on the islands of Pico, São Jorge and Graciosa. With the years going by, Pico wine becomes well known and wanted in America and Europe, forcing the noblemen of Faial to invest on the plantation of vineyards on volcanic land, which required the expensive care of breaking the lava ground and creating walls of rock around each three or four vineyard plants. At the end of the XVIII century they also export oranges, an exotic fruit at the time.

A dificult period

The XIX century is a period of economic crises. First with the loss of the orange plantations (1842) and, followed right after by the vineyards (1852), due to diseases. The presence of American whale fishing ships, which came in by the dozen, is reduced at the end of the century. Steam boats, which stopped at Horta for supplies of coal, give movement to the port, keeping the city on the maritime routes.

Horta of the XX century

The installation of underwater cables, the utilization of Horta for the hydroplanes, which connected both sides of the Atlantic , to land, the presence of naval bases during the two world wars, are important fazes in the life of the island in the XX century. With the headquarters for the Regional Government and the Regional Department of Administration in Horta, an economic life based on commerce, cattle, dairy and fishing, Faial is today an island in development which finds in tourism a way of continuing its cosmopolitan vocation.